Ruthenium(ii)complexes as catalysts for selective hydrogenation of cyclic polyenes to cyclic monoenes

ABSTRACT

CYCLIC POLYENES ARE SELECTIVELY HYDROGENATED TO CYCLIC MONOENES UNDER SUITABLE HYDROGENATION CONDITIONS IN THE PRESENCE OF A RUTHENIUM (II) CATALYST COMPLEX HAVING THE GENERAL FORMULA LNRUXM WHERE L IS A LIGAND, X IS A HALOGEN OR HYDROGEN, N EQUALS 2, 3, OR 4, M EQUALS 2 OR 3, AND THE SUM OF N+M EQUALS 4, 5 OR 6. NOVEL PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF (PH3P)2(CO)2RUCL2 IS ALSO DESCRIBED.

United States Patent Ofice 3,804,914 Patented Apr. 16, 1974 RUTHENIUMHI) COMPLEXES AS CATALYSTS FOR SELECTIVE HYDROGENATION F CYCLIC POLYENES TO CYCLIC MONOENES Darryl R. Fahey, Bartlesville, Okla., assignor to Phillips Petroleum Company, Bartlesville, Okla.

No Drawing. Continuation-impart of abandoned application Ser. No. 256,767, May 25, 1972. This application June 25, 1973, Ser. No. 373,403

Int. Cl. C07c /02 US. Cl. 260-666 A 21 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Cyclic polyenes are selectively hydrogenated to cyclic monoenes under suitable hydrogenation conditions in the presence of a ruthenium(II) catalyst complex having the general formula L,,RuX wherein L is a ligand, X is a halogen or hydrogen, n equals 2, 3 or 4, m equals 2 or 3, and the sum of n+m equals 4, 5 or 6. A novel process for the preparation of (Ph P) (CO) RuCl is also described.

This application is a continuation-in-part of copending application Ser. -No. 256,767, filed May 25, 1972, now abandoned.

This invention relates to a process for the selective hydrogenation of cyclic polyenes to cyclic monoenes carried out in the presence of a ruthenium(II) catalyst complex, and a process for the preparation of ruthenium(II) catalyst complexes.

Various catalytic hydrogenation processes employing ruthenium compounds are known in the art, including the processes described in US. Pats. 3,454,644 and 3,488,- 400. None of the disclosure, however, provides a suitable means for selectively hydrogenating a cyclic polyene to a cyclic monoene.

An object of this invention is to provide a selective hydrogenation process for the conversion of cyclic polyenes to cyclic monoenes. Other objects of this invention will be apparent from the written description and the appended claims.

In one embodiment of this invention, an improved process for the selective hydrogenation of a cyclic polyene to a cyclic monoene has been found which comprises hydrogenation of a cyclic polyene to a cyclic monoene in the presence of a ruthenium(II) catalyst complex. In another embodiment, improved processes for the preparation of a ruthenium(II) catalyst complex have been found.

The cyclic polyenes that can be employed in the practice of this invention comprise any polyunsaturated olefin having at least 6 carbon atoms and at least 2 ethylenic double bonds. Suitable cyclic polyenes include cyclododecatriene, 4 n butylcyclododecatriene, 2,4 dimethylcyclododecatriene, 1-cyclohexylcyclododecatriene, l-phenylcyclododecatriene 1,5-cyclooctadiene, 1,4-cyclooctadiene, 1,4-cyclohexadiene, 1,3 cyclohexadiene, bicyclo[2.2.1]hepta-2,5- diene, bicyclo[2.2.2] octa-2,5-diene, and the like, and mixtures thereof.

The ruthenium(II) catalyst complexes that can be employed in the practice of this invention comprise ligandcomplexed divalent ruthenium(II) compounds. The term divalent ruthenium is employed herein to describe a ruthenium atom which has two of its electrons participating in chemical bond formation.

In general, the ruthenium(II) catalyst complexes that can be employed in the process of this invention can be described by Formula A:

(A) L,,,RuX

wherein L is a ligand selected from NR PR AsRQ. SbR SR ROI-l, C 0, R P-R'-PR and pyridine, each R being the same or difierent is selected from alkyl, cycloalkyl, and aryl radicals or combination thereof, R is an alkylene radical, X is a halogen or hydrogen, n is an integer of 2, 3 or 4, m is an integer of 2 or 3, and the sum of n+m is the integer of 4, 5 or 6. Wherein L is a ligand represented by the general Formula R P-R'-PR such a ligand can function as two of the L ligands of Formula A. Preferably, each R radical contains 1 to 12 carbon atoms. Representative of R radicals include methyl, ethyl, n-butyl, cyclohexyl, n-dodecyl, phenyl, benzyl, p-tolyl, 4-n-hexylphenyl, 3,5-dimethylphenyl, Z-naphthyl, and the like. Preferably, each R radical contains 1 to 4 carbon atoms.

A preferred ruthenium(II) catalyst complex can be described by Formula B:

(B) LL co ,,Rux,

wherein LL is a ligand selected from NR PR AsR SbR p is an integer of 2 or 3, q is an integer of 1 or 2, r is the integer 2, the sum of p+q+r equals the integer 6, and R and X are as previously defined. Even more preferred are ruthenium(II) catalysts of Formula B wherein p, q, and r are each the integer 2.

Illustrative of individual ruthenium(II) catalyst complexes that can be employed in the practice of this invention are those represented by the formulas gRllClg s 3 RUH2, 2 2] X! s s 4 2 (C5H5N 2 ZRUCIZ, ZRUCIZ,

3RUC12, 2 RuHCl, (Ph P) 3 (CO RuCl (Ph P) 3 (CO RLIHCI and the like and mixtures thereof. In the foregoing, Ph represents phenyl, Et represents ethyl, C H N represents pyridine, and x is an integer of at least 2 and indicates the polymeric nature of the complex. If desired, complexes such as (Ph P) (CO)RuCl can be transformed to the more preferred complex (Ph P) (CO) RuCl by passing carbon monoxide into a refluxing solution of the monocarbonyl complex in a high boiling polar solvent, e.g., 2- methoxyethanol.

In addition to individual ruthenium(II) catalyst complexes, complexes of ruthenium(II) treated with sodium borohydride (NaBH reducing agents can be employed with good results. Suitable examples of the above include the following: (C H N) RuCl /NaBH Illustrative of individual ruthenium(III) catalyst complexes that can be employed in the practice of this invention are those represented by the formulas: (Et S) RuCl (Ph P) (CH OH)RuCl Said compounds are generically referred to in this invention as ruthenium(II) compounds since said compounds are considered under the hydrogenation reaction conditions of this invention to be active in the form of ruthenium(II) catalyst complexes.

Known methods for preparation of the above individual complexes are disclosed by Hallman et al. J. Chem. Soc., A, 3143 (1968); Stephenson et al., J. Inorg. Nucl. Chem., 28, 945 (1966); Abel et al. J. Chem. Soc. 3178 (1959); Collman and Roper, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 87, 4008 (1965); Fergusson et al., J. Chem. Soc., 2627 (1965); Chatt et al., J. Chem. Soc., 896 (1961); James and Markham, Inorg. Nucl. Chem. Letters, 7, 373 (1971); and Chatt, Shaw and Field, J. Chem. Soc., 3466 (1964).

A particularly preferred embodiment of this invention comprises the selective hydrogenation of cyclic polyenes in the presence of the ruthenium(II) catalyst complex (Ph P) (CO) RuCl wherein a ligand forming compound selected from the group consisting of CO, NR PR AsR R being as previously defined, is present during the hydrogenation process in quantities in excess of the mole ligand requirements of the ruthenium(II) catalyst complex. Preferably, in general, a ligand mole excess within the range of from 0.001 to 50 moles, more preferably within the range of from to 25 moles for NR PR and AsR compounds, per mole of ruthenium catalyst complex is employed. It CO is employed, it is more preferred that the ligand mole excess be in the range of about 0.001 to about 5 moles per mole of ruthenium complex. As the amount of diluent employed may vary, it will generally be desirable that the concentration of the excess ligand in the reaction mixture be in the range of about 0.001 to about 1 mole of excess ligand per liter of reaction mixture and preferably in the range of about 0.01 to about 0.5 mole of excess ligand per liter of reaction mixture, for ligands other than CO. When C0 is employed as the excess lignad, its concentration as excess ligand will generally be in the range of about 0.001 to about 0.1 mole of CO per liter of reaction mixture. Higher concentration of excess CO may tend to deactivate the catalyst.

In another embodiment of the invention, the ruthenium (II) catalyst complexes are prepared in the presence of the cyclic polyene under hydrogenation conditions such that the ruthenium(H) catalyst is formed and the cyclic polyene is selectively hydrogenated in essentially one operation. In one process of this type, a ruthenium halide in a solvent is contacted briefly with CO in the presence of another ligand forming compound, such as triphenylphosphine, and a cyclic polyene. Thereafter hydrogen pressure is applied and the cyclic polyene is hydrogenated to the cyclic monoene in the presence of the newly formed ruthenium(II) catalyst. In another process of this type, a zerovalent ruthenium complex such as (Ph P) (CO) Ru is contacted briefly with a hydrogen halide or an alkyl halide in the presence of the cyclic polyene and preferably in the presence of another ligand forming compound, such as triphenylphosphine. Thereafter hydrogen pressure is applied to selectively hydrogenate the cyclic polyene to the cyclic monoene in the presence of the newly formed ruthenium(II) catalyst. The selective hydrogenation process can be carried out in any reaction media comprising a solvent, a cyclic polyene and a ruthenium (II) catalyst complex. Suitable solvents include cyclic polyene, present in amounts sufiicient to function in both a reactant and a solvent capacity, ligand forming solvents as well as substantially nonreactive or inert solvents. Suitable substantially non-reactive and/or inert solvents include benzene, toluene, cumene, isooctane, cyclohexane, ethanol, l-butanol, ethyl acetate, tetrahydrofuran, and the like, and combinations thereof.

Particularly preferred solvents in the practice of this invention are ligand forming solvents described by Forwherein each R is the same or different, each R" is selected from hydrogen, alkyl or cycloalkyl radicals or combinations thereof. Preferably, each R" radical contains 1 to 12 carbon atoms. Specific examples of preferred solvents are N,N-dimethylformamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide, N-methylpyrrolidone, and the like, or mixtures thereof.

The hydrogenation process of this invention can be carried out under any suitable hydrogenation conditions comprising contact of suitable proportions of a cyclic polyene and a ruthenium(II) catalyst complex. In general, suitable proportions comprise ruthenium(II) catalyst complex cyclic polyene mole ratios of from 0.0001/ 1.0 to 1.0/1.0, respectively. Catalyst recycle hydrogenation conditions can be employed for convenience and economy advantageously, if desired, since substantially none or very little of the catalyst efiiciency is lost during the hydrogenation process, even when the process is carried out in the presence of air or oxygen. Suitable hydrogenation temperature conditions vary in accord with the effective temperature range of the ruthenium(II) catalyst complexes. The ruthenium(II) catalyst complex effective temperature range is defined herein as the difference between the lowest activity temperature of the catalyst and the decomposition temperature of the catalyst, e.g., a temperature difference of about C. in the case of (Ph P) (CO) RuCl based on an activity temperature of at least C. and a decomposition temperature in excess of about 200 C. Other catalyst species may have effective temperature ranges within the range of from 25 C. to 225 C. Suitable pressures, generally, are within the range of from about 0 to about 600 p.s.i.g.

The selective hydrogenation behavior of the ruthenium (II) catalyst complexes for cyclic polyenes to cyclic monoenes can often be employed to advantage in separation processes wherein cyclic monoenes are desired to be separated from mixtures comprising cyclic and/or acyclic polyenes having similar boiling points. Subjection of such mixtures to hydrogenation conditions in the presence of the ruthenium(II) catalyst complexes produces mixtures of cyclic monoenes with acyclic monoenes which can generally be separated by simple fractional distillation. For example, the recovery of cyclopentene from a mixture thereof with cisand trans-1,3-pentadiene can be accomplished according to the above procedure.

The following examples illustrate the processes of this invention and are not intended to be unduly limitative of the scope thereof.

EXAMPLE I A series of runs was carried out wherein l2 mmole of 1,5,9-cyclododecatriene was hydrogenated in the presmulas C and D: ence of 0.13 mmole of (Ph P) (CO) RuCl under reaction conditions comprising hydrogen pressures within 55 (C) the range of from to 220 p.s.1.g., temperatures within 0 R the range of from 140 C. to C., the presence of H g 30ml. of a solvent and varying reaction periods. The R 1 (D) H20 solvents, reaction time, as well as the reaction products 60 of the runs are set out in Table I. The reaction products H1 are reported on a weight percent basis.

TABLE I Reaction Reaction products (wt. percent) Run period, No. Solvent hours CDA 1 CDE i CDD 5 CDT 4 1 N-methylpyrrolidone.. 2. 5 1.0 94.6 3.2 1. 2 2 N,N-dimethylforrna.mide. 3 9.0 85.6 3.7 1.7 3 N,N-dimethylacetamide 3 16.2 75.7 5.4 2.7 4 Tetrahydrofuran 2. 5 11. 3 55. 1 16. 5 17. 0 5. Ethyl acetate 2 34. 2 48. 4 9. 3 8. 1 6 l-Butnnol. 2 39. 0 47. 1 8. 6 5. 3 7 Benzene 2 24.1 45. 2 12. 3 1s. 4 s. Sulfolane 7 o. 1 27. 1 2s. 2 44. 7 9... Acetonltrlle 3 0 0. 1 3.9 9 .0 10 Dimethylsulfoxide 29 1.0 97.8 0.9 9.5

l CDA=cyclododecane.

1 CDE=cyclododecene.

CDD:cyclododecadiene.

4 CDT: cyclododecatriene.

i Cannon-In two of tour reactions, a vigorous decomposition of the reaction solution occurred causing the reaction vessel to burst.

The above data demonstrates the eflicacy of ruthenijunction with (Ph P) (CO) RuCl significantly improves um(II) catalyst complexes in the selective hydrogena' the selective hydrogenation of cyclododecatriene to cyclotion of cyclododecatriene to cyclododecene, as well as dodecene. Control Runs 31 and 32 additionally demonthe varying degrees of selectivity associated with various strate that the phosphine oxides added had no eifect on solvents employed in the hydrogenation processes of this the hydrogenation selectivity. invention. Run 9 demonstrates that acetonitrile is unsuited as a solvent to the hydrogenation process. EXAMPLE Iv As illustrated by the data set out hereinbefore, im- A mixture of 0.10 g. (0.38 mg.-atom Ru) ruthenium proved hydrogenation selectivity occurs in the presence trichloride hydrate, 1.5 mmole triphenylphosphine, 12.3 of ligand forming solvents and in the absence of excess mmole 1,5,9-cyclododecatriene in 20 ml. of ethanol solof catalyst complex ligands selected from amines, arsines, vent was contacted with CO at 4 p.s.i.g. and subsequently and phosphines (note Example III hereafter). was contacted and pressurized with hydrogen at a pressure range of 138 to 209 p.s.i.g., at a temperature of from EXAMPLE H 118 C. to 140 C. for 100 minutes. The reaction prod- A series of runs was carried out wherein 12 mmole ucts obtained, reported on a weight basis, were as folof 1,5,9-cyclododecatriene in ml. of N,N-dimethyl- IOWSI 2 Percent cyclododecane, 98 Percent cyclododficeney formamide was hydrogenated under a hydrogen pressure 0.0 percent cyclododecadiene, and 0.0 percent cyclodowithin the range of from 150 to 225 p.s.i.g., at temperdecatriene. atures within the range of from 105 to 145 C. in the The above data demonstrate the novel process for the presence of 0.10 g. of the ruthenium(II) catalyst complex 20 preparation of a ruthenium (II) catalyst complex in the designated in Table II. The reaction products are represence of cyclododecatriene, and subsequent selective ported on a weight percent basis. hydrogenation of cyclododecatriene to cyclododecene TABLE II Reaction Reaction products (wt. percent) Run period, No. Catalyst hours CDA ODE 2 CDD 8 CDT 4 (Ph P)z(GO)zRuCl: 4 13. 3 84.7 I. 8 0. 3 (Ph;P) (CO)RuHz 5 5. 3 74. e 13. 2 6. 7 (Ph PhRuCl; 5 31. 4 51.1 8.4 9. 1 (Et2S)aR 1a 3.5 2.8 92.6 3.2 1.4 (PhaP)z(CHaOH)R11Ch 4. 5 14. 3 80. 4 4. 2 1. 1 [(0 ran 12].-.- 3.3 0.2 22.8 38.4 38.6 (Py)4RuCl2- 3 2. 3 36.0 30. 2 31. 5 (PhtrhRuolz 4 42. 3 29. 6 15.6 12. 4 (PyhRuClz-NaBHl 1. e 3e. 0 59. 8 2. 4 1. 7 (Py)2(CO)2RuCl2NaBH1 2.2 21.8 47.2 15.5 15.5 21 [PhzPCHgCHgPPhflsRuClz-NtiBH; 2.1 8.6 29.0 22.5 39.9

1 a 3 and 4 are as defined in Table I hereinbeiore. 5 In benzene solution at 85 C.

0.10 g. of NaBHr.

7 0.050 g. of NaBH The above data demonstrates the degree of hydrowithout having to isolate or otherwise manipulate the genation selectivity obtained with related rutheniumfll) catalyst. catalyst complexes. EXAMPLE V EXAMPLE III 7 Two other runs were carried out in which the selective A series of runs were carried out wherein 11 mmole hydrogenation of 159 cyc1od0decatriene (CDT) was of 1,59'Yclddecamene m 20 of benzene was carried out in the puresence of catalysts obtained by the dfogenated under hydrogen Pressure i i the rang treatment of (Ph P) (CO) Ru with HCl under conditions of 175 to 200 p.s.i.g., at temperatures within the range described below:

of to C. in the presence of 0.13 mmole of RUN 34 (Ph P) (CO) RuCl Excess mole quantities of various ligand forming compounds were employed in each run. T i arbonylbis(triphenylphosphine)ruthenium(o) The type and amount of excess ligand on a mole basis 50 and the reaction products obtained are reported on a (0.05 g.), trlphenylphosphme (0.20 g.), 1,5,9-cyclodoweight percent basis in Table III. decatriene (1.00 g.) and ethanol (10 ml. were charged TABLE III Ligand Reaction products (wt. percent) Run molar No. Excess added ligand excess 9 CDA 1 ODE I CDD CDT 4 0.068 1.9 98.1 0 0 0.13 0.0 97.8 1.5 0.5 0. 034 4.4 95.0 0 0 25 -do 0. 011 10. 5 88.9 0 0. 0 Diethylamine---- 0. 050 as. 1 e3. 0 0. 7 0. 2 0. 015 20. e 53. 7 9. 7 10. 0 0.01 29.8 51.0 9.5 7.9 29 0.00 24.1 45.2 12.3 18.4 30-. co 9 0 0.1 45.7 30.2 24.0 31.. Triphenylphosphine oxide. 0.016 97.4 2.5 0 0.1 32 Trloctylphosphine oxide 0. 01 96.7 3.3 0 0 1 1 B and l are as defined in Table 1 hereinabove. 5 Reaction apparently ceased before completion of hydrogenation. 9 Molar excess based on solutions of 0.006 M (PhaP)z(CO)1Rl1C12, 0.55 M CDT, and 20 ml. of benzene.

b P.s.i.g.

The above data demonstrates the improvement in seto a 3-oz. glass pressure tube. The contents of the tube lective hydrogenation of cyclododecatriene to cyclododec- 70 were stirred and pressured with hydrogen to p.s.i.g., ene which results when ligand forming compounds seraised to 131 C./231 p.s.i.g. over a 40-minutes period, lected from amines, arsines, and phosphines are employed and then maintained at 131-146" C./215-260 p.s.i.g. with in excess of the molar stoichiometric ligand requirements I continued stirring for 45 minutes without reaction under of the rutheniu1n(II) catalyst complex. Additionally, the these conditions, the presence of triphenylphosphine above data illustrate that triphenylphosphine when emappearing to inhibit hydrogenation with the ruthenium(0) ployed in excess as a ligand forming compound in concomplex.

The above mixture was cooled, the pressure vented, the void volume above the reaction mixture was flushed with gaseous hydrogen chloride for approximately 2 seconds, the tube rescaled, and repressured with hydrogen to 180 p.s.i.g. The reaction mixture was stirred and raised to 138 C./262 p.s.i.g. over a 1-hour 20-minute period. The pressure was then vented to 220 p.s.i.g. and subsequently maintained at 138150 C./201-230 p.s.i.g. with continued stirring for 3.5 hours. The product mixture was allowed to cool, was suction filtered and the filtrate analyzed indicating: cyclododecane, 0.1%; cyclododccene, 92.5%; cyclododecadiene, 5.4%; cyclododecatriene, 2.0%. The colorless filter cake was identified by elemental analysis as dichlorodicarbonylbis(triphenylphosphine)ruthenium- (II).

Analysis.-Calcd. for (Ph P) (CO) RuCl (percent): C, 60.7; H, 4.02. Found (percent): C, 60.9; H, 4.00.

RUN 35 A 20-ml. benzene solution of (Ph P) (CO) Ru (0.007 M) containing 11 mmole CDT was treated with HCl and with hydrogen (175-200 p.s.i.g.) at a temperature of 140 to 160 C. during which reaction period the catalyst (Ph P) (CO) RuCl was formed and hydrogenation of CDT took place. Analysis of the hydrogenation reaction products showed the presence of cyclododecane 30.0%; cyclododccene 66.9%; cyclododecadiene 3.1%; and cyclododecatriene The results of the above two runs demonstrate that selective hydrogenation was achieved by treating the complex (Ph P) (CO) Ru with HCl and H in the presence of the cyclic polyene (CDT). In addition, the results also demonstrate that selectivity is much improved if the above reaction is carried out in the presence of triphenylphosphine (Run 34).

EXAMPLE VI Other runs were conducted in which the catalyst (Ph P) (CO) RuClwas employed in the presence of added triphenylphosphine for the selective hydrogenation of two other cyclic polyenes 1,5-cyclooctadiene and bicyclo[2.2.l]hepta- 2,5 diene(norbornadiene). The runs were conducted with 0.066 mmole of the catalyst, 1.53 mmole added triphenylphosphine, 1.00 g. of the cyclic polyene in 20-ml. benzene at a temperature of 129- 140 C. under a pressure of 150-194 p.s.i.g. hydrogen. The results of these runs are shown in Table IV below:

TABLE IV Cyclic reaction products (wt. percent) Run No. Cyclic polyene Alkanes Alkenes Polyenes 36 1 5-cyclooctadiene 6. 1 1 93. 4 2 0. 8 37 Norbornadiene 3 19.4 80.2 0.4

EXAMPLE VII A BOO-milliliter autoclave was charged with dichlorodicarbonylbis(triphenylphosphine)ruthenium(II) (0.050 g., 0.065 mmole), triphenylphosphine (1.00 g., 3.82 mmole), cyclododecatriene (50.3 g., 310 mmole) and benzene ml.). The void volume was then flushed with nitrogen and pressured to 500 p.s.i.g. with hydrogen. Heat and rapid stirring were applied. Hydrogen absorption was observed and the pressure was maintained in the range of 400 to 600 p.s.i.g. This large scale reaction was notably exothermic making the reaction temperature difficult to maintain between 155 C. The maximum temperature was C. reached momentarily. When hydrogen uptake ceased, usually requiring 1 to 1.5 hours, the product mixture was cooled and distilled at reduced pressure. The conversion was 96.9 percent comprising cyclododecane (5.6%), cyclododccene (91.0%), cyclodecadiene (3.4%), and cyclododecatriene (effectively 0%). The dark yellow distillation residue was taken up in 20 ml. of benzene and recycled with another 50 g. of cyclododecatriene, repeating the operations described above. In this manner the catalyst was recycled six times with the occasional addition of triphenylphosphine to compensate for its loss by oxidation to triphenylphosphine oxide occasioned by exposure to the atmosphere. A total of 343.3 g. of cyclododecatriene was reduced. The yields of cyclododecene ranged from 83 to 94 percent, usually being 91 to 93 percent per batch.

The above recycle catalyst study demonstrated that a minimum of 32,100 moles of cyclododecatriene can be selectively hydrogenated per mole of the ruthenium catalyst. This is equivalent to 50,000 pounds of cyclododecatriene per pound of ruthenium metal. No particular precautions were taken to exclude air, moisture or solvent impurities. No detectable loss in catalyst activity was observed.

Reasonable variations and medications are possible within the scope of the foregoing disclosure and the appended claims to the invention.

That which is claimed is:

1. A selective hydrogenation process which comprises contacting a cyclic polyene containing at least 6 carbon atoms and at least 2 ethylenic double bonds with hydrogen and a catalyst of Formula A:

wherein L is a ligand selected from NR PR AsR SbR SR ROH, CO, R P-R'-PR and pyridine, each R being individually selected from the group consisting of alkyl, cycloalkyl, and aryl radicals and combinations thereof, R is an alkylene radical, each X is individually selected from the group consisting of the halogens and hydrogens, n is the integer 2, 3 or 4, m is the integer 2 or 3, the sum of n+m is the integer 4, 5 or 6, under suitable hydrogenation conditions to hydrogenate said polyene.

2. A process in accordance with claim 1, wherein the contacting is carried out in the presence of a suitable organic solvent.

3. A process in accordance with claim 2, wherein said solvent is selected from compounds of the Formula II:

wherein each R is individually selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl and cycloalkyl radicals and combinations thereof; and compounds of the Formula III:

(III) R" H2O 0:0

wherein R" is as previously defined.

4. A process in accordance with claim 3, wherein said solvent is selected from the group consisting of N,N-dimethylformamide, N,N-dimethylacetamide, and N- methylpyrrolidone and combinations thereof.

5. A process in accordance with claim 2, wherein said catalyst has the Formula B:

( )p( )q r wherein LL is a ligand selected from NR PR AsR SbR p is the integer 2 or 3, q is the integer 1 or 2, r is the interger 2, the sum of p+q+r equals the integer 6, and R and X are as previously defined.

6. A process in accordance with claim 5, wherein p,

q, and r are each the integer 2.

7. A process in accordance with claim 6, wherein the hydrogenation is carried out in the presence of an LL ligand present in amounts in excess of the LL ligand stoichiometric requirements of Formula B.

8. A process in accordance with claim 7, wherein the excess LL ligand is 9. A process in accordance with claim 6, wherein said catalyst of Formula B is prepared by contacting RuX said LL ligand, CO and said cyclic polyene, wherein RuX and LL ligand are each present in amounts at least equal to the stoichiometric requirements of Formula B, and C is present in amounts at least in excess of the stoichiometric requirements of Formula 13, and subsequently removing C0 excess to the stoichiometric requirements of Formula B.

10. A process in accordance with claim 9, wherein said LL is 10 the contacting is carried out in the presence of a ligand forming compound selected from the group consisting of CO, NR PR and AsR R being as previously defined, said ligand forming compound being present in an amount in excess to the mole ligand requirements of said catalyst.

16. A process in accordance with claim 14 wherein the contacting is carried out in the presence of triphenylphosphine in excess of the mole ligand requirements of said catalyst.

17. A process in accordance with claim 14 wherein said catalyst is formed by reacting (Pl1 'P) (CO) Ru with HCl in the presence of a suitable organic diluent.

18. A process in accordance with claim 11, wherein the contacting is carried out in the presence of N,N-dimethylformamide.

19. A process in accordance with claim 11, wherein the contacting is carried out in the presence of N-methylpyrrolidone.

20. A process in accordance with claim 11, wherein the contacting is carried out in the presence of N,N-dimethylacetamide.

21. A process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said catalyst further comprises sodium borohydride.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,488,400 1/1970 Caudlin et al. 260-677 H 3,454,644 1/ 1969 Dewhirst 260--570.9 3,597,461 8/ 1971 LEplattenir et al. 260-429 2,944,094 7/1960 Rylander et al. 260-677 H 3,391,206 7/1968 Hartog 260666 A 3,408,415 10/ 1968 Dovell 260-666 A DELBERT E. GANTZ, Primary Examiner V. OKEEFE, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

260666; 252429 R, 431 N, P, R 

